Sir, your levellers wish to level down as far as themselves; but they cannot bear levelling up to themselves.
ATTRIBUTION:
Life of Johnson (Boswell).1Vol. ii. Chap. v. 1763.
Note 1. From the London edition, 10 volumes, 1835.
Dr. Johnson, it is said, when he first heard of Boswell’s intention to write a life of him, announced, with decision enough, that if he thought Boswell really meant to write his life he would prevent it by taking Boswell’s!—Thomas Carlyle: Miscellanies, Jean Paul Frederic Richter. [back]
